The Inca Trail is one of the most popular trekking routes in the world, attracting thousands of adventurers each year to explore the ancient ruins and breathtaking landscapes of Peru. The trail is a 42-kilometer route that starts at Kilometer 82 (or sometimes Kilometer 104) and takes around 4-5 days to complete, depending on the route and pace.
The trail traverses through the magnificent Andean mountain range, taking hikers through a variety of landscapes, including lush forests, high-altitude passes, and stunning Inca ruins. The trail’s most famous destination is the ancient city of Machu Picchu, which was built in the 15th century and is considered one of the greatest architectural wonders of the world.
To hike the Inca Trail, you must obtain a permit, and there is a limit on the number of permits issued each day. This means that it’s essential to book your trip well in advance and to ensure that you have all the necessary documentation before embarking on your journey.
To fully enjoy the trail, it’s recommended to book with a licensed tour operator, who will provide you with a guide, porters, and all necessary equipment. The porters will carry your camping gear, food, and other supplies, allowing you to focus on the incredible scenery and immerse yourself in the experience.
The Inca Trail can be challenging, with steep ascents and descents, high altitude, and variable weather conditions. It’s essential to be physically prepared and to acclimate to the altitude before starting the trek. However, the trail’s breathtaking views and the unique opportunity to explore the history and culture of the Inca civilization make it a journey that is well worth the effort.
Stunning Scenery
The Inca Trail winds through some of the most spectacular landscapes in the world, from lush jungles to snow-capped peaks and high-altitude plateaus. Along the way, you’ll see incredible vistas of the Andes and be surrounded by natural beauty.
Patallacta
This archaeological site, located in the lush and green Urubamba valley, Cusco, the highland terraces of Patallacta were likely used for crop production for Tambos, or resting places for travelers, that accommodated people on pilgrimage to Machu Picchu during Incan times. It’s only accessible from a single narrow stone staircase.
Dead Woman’s Pass
Climb out of the Sacred Valley towards Warmiwanusca, or Dead Woman’s Pass, on the second day of the classic Inca Trail to Machu Picchu 4 days. This highest point of the trek at 4,215 m (3,828 ft) with stunning views at the summit.
Inca Ruins
The trail is dotted with numerous Inca ruins, including Wiñay Wayna, Sayacmarca, and Phuyupatamarca. These ancient sites provide a fascinating glimpse into the daily lives of the Inca people and their sophisticated engineering and architectural skills.
Inti Punku (Sun Gate)
The Sun Gate is a stone archway that marks the entrance to Machu Picchu. The trail culminates in a breathtaking view of the ruins from this vantage point.
Machu Picchu
The ancient city of Machu Picchu is the most famous highlight of the Inca Trail. The breathtaking ruins of this 15th-century Inca citadel were rediscovered in 1911 and are now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
4 Days
4 DAYS From $2997 PP
4 Days
4 DAYS From $697 PP
2 Days
2 DAYS From $477 PP
2 Days
2 DAYS From $577 PP
1 Days
1 DAYS From $397 PP
5 Days
5 DAYS From $897 PP
On the last night of your trek at Wiñay wayna, there is a tipping custom: all the hikers put their tips together and give them to the guide. The guide will then distribute that money between all the Inca Trail personnel. We advise anything from $50 to $70 USD per hiker.
SAM Travel was born of our love for sharing these beautiful places with travelers. Our owner ( Saúl Alvarez ) went from porter to guide to business owner, without losing sight of his roots. We know how to show you the most beautiful places and give you the most authentic experiences. For Sam Travel our guides are the most important in the business, they all are fluent in Ingles and passoinated about teh culture. They are all trained and retrained in first aid and carry satellite phones for any emergency to be connected to a medical professional when or if needed. We can guarantee our guides will make you feel like hiking with your own family or friends
All our Tours & Treks are provided only by SAM Travel Peru staff and professional guides. What that means for you is that SAM Travel Peru will never pass you onto another company or 3rd Party .
Enjoy a good night sleep in our 4 season igloo waterproof, spacious and professional EUREKA tent. All our tents are 4 person tents. ONLY 2 people will sleep in each, leaving lots of room to spread out comfortably and store your duffel bag.
To ensure a more personalized service for our guests, at SAM Travel Peru we have a policy that our groups will not exceed 8 people. This fact alone sets us apart from other companies that operate departures with bigger groups..
We have the most customized tours and packages for all budgets. They are created to meet our clients’ desires and needs when looking for something unique in a travel experience.
SAM TRAVEL PERÚ has one of the most outstanding meal services. Our chefs have been highly trained to prepare the best peruavian food our treks.
SAM Travel Peru has annual clean-up campaigns that creates awareness towards people across the planet that have the same desires to help protect the environment. It is our commitment in creating a positive and sustainable contribution towards the quality of life for rural Andean communities. .
Had a great trip with our guide Ray Herrera and driver Alfredo. Lots of good experiences in a short period of time 4 days. Learnt a lot not just about the main tourist destinations but Peru in general by Ray. Ray has a passion for Inca history and local produce. Ray knows all the good photo spots and we managed the sun out every day .. Good culture and if you want to get on a tour ask for Ray at Sams Travel = amazing
Ray was our Tour Guide and Alfredo was our driver for a 4 day tour we did with SAM Travel Peru. Ray's knowledge of the history of Cusco and Machu Picchu was outstanding. Ray was very accommodating with all our needs. He stayed alongside us when trekking and helped where he could. His sense of humour was pleasant to be around. Ray spoke very good English. He is such a nice guy. I would strongly recommend Ray to be your tour guide to visit Machu Picchu. Ray explained everyday what the plans were for the next day, which was reassuring what we needed to take etc
Our 1 day tour thru the Sacred Vally with Danny was wonderful. He was very knowledgeable and able to answer all our questions in detail. I would recommend asking for him personally if you are able.
We booked the Classic Cusco to Machu Picchu tour with SAM travel which we really had a good experience. SAM travel is very responsive during the communication and cater to our changes needed. Our guide is Ray who is also an very awesome guide. He is knowledgeable, patient, humorous as well reliable, he help us take many good photos and also go extra mile to help with our request. Thanks Ray! Thanks SAM travel that gave us good memories in Peru! Highly recommend if you consider booking any tour in Cusco.
Wow. We had such an incredible experience in Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu. Our guide, Dayvit, is the most knowledgeable guide we have ever had. He has such an extensive knowledge of the history and is very friendly and helpful. If you are planning a trip to Peru, I highly recommend SAM travel and be sure to request Dayvit!
2 day tour sacred valley / Machu Picchu highly recommend! David was the best tour guide. He knows an incredible amount about Incan culture and is personable and funny. He also kept us up to date on a political situation happening when we were there and was informative. Overall, this tour checks all the boxes. Thank you!
We used SAM Travel for a 2D/1N trip from Cusco to Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu on Dec 25-26, 2022. The team was good with communication from the start - both Saul and Junior were very helpful and professional with answering any questions and clearing up any misunderstandings. Our guide, Miguel, was prompt, pleasant, and quite knowledgeable. We enjoyed his company and insight over the 2 day trip and recommend him to anyone booking with SAM Travel.
We booked the Classic Cusco to Machu Picchu tour with SAM travel which we really had a good experience. SAM travel is very responsive during the communication and cater to our changes needed. Our guide is Ray who is also an very awesome guide. He is knowledgeable, patient, humorous as well reliable, he help us take many good photos and also go extra mile to help with our request. Thanks Ray! Thanks SAM travel that gave us good memories in Peru! Highly recommend if you consider booking any tour in Cusco.
My wife and I just completed two excursions with SAM Travel Peru and we absolutely loved them. We did the 4 Day Salkantay Wilderness + Machu Picchu and then the 2-Day Rainbow Mountain + 7 Lakes trek with guide Carlos Estrada, chefs Nerio & Lucio, and horseman Unarato. Over the last 6 days we have learned so much about the Inca culture, discovered some of the most incredible sights, and ate delicious food every step of the way. We would definitely recommend SAM Travel (especially with Carlos!) to anyone that wants an incredible Peruvian adventure. The Wilderness trek is a much quieter trail than the standard Salkantay and goes a bit higher elevation, but camping at the base of Salkantay was incredible. Carlos's guided tour through Machu Picchu was so informative. We would have missed so much without him taking the time to share his knowledge.
Big thanks to David he was an amazing tour guide who really cared for our group. He allowed us to go at our own pace and was a brilliant photographer He was really funny and is full of interesting information & his passion for his inca ancestors is very obvious and warming. He also brought us to great restaurants! This company are very good and from what I can recall were cheaper than most. Thank you!
They took care of everything! Saul the owner is very responsive and helpful. Johnny our guide was fantastic, as were our chef, assistant chef and horsemen. I can’t recommend them highly enough and will definitely use them again if we return to Peru!
Three of us decided to choose Sam Travel Peru, reason being is it is a local travel company that help indegenious communities. We picked Lares Trek 4D3N to have cultural experience while hiking. Good foods provided by talented Mario Chef! Johnny is our tour guide, very helpful tour guide. He even helped me to carry my daypack as I was too exhausted to carry it on day 1 hiking. Strongly recommend to those like to have local experience while hiking.
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ISO 14001 sets an internationally agreed upon standard for Environmental sustainability. They encourage organizations to protect the environment through the efficient use of resources and reduction of waste. Sam travel adopts a holistic approach to environmental sustainability and management.
We are honored to have been chosen by our travelers as their travelers’ choice of 2022. Trust us to plan your travel, for an unforgettable, once in a lifetime experience. We are humbled and proud to provide the best tours to Machu Picchu, trekking the Inca trail and other tours and treks throughout the Cusco region and beyond.
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